Next bike quandry...

[the_lone_wolf]

Originally Posted by robchester

sorry, I should have said around £5k. The one my colleague is selling is a tad over this, but looks in exceptional condition with only 2500 miles on it. Not quite having the cash for it at the moment, it's just out of reach.

I know you said £5k, but if it were me I'd find the extra grand somewhere if I wanted one, the akrapovics alone are ~£800 new:

http://www.ktmforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=41667

[Bri w]

Hey, No one's mentioned the Vfr - I know, old git's bike (until the Vtec kicks in).

Rob, i'm only just down the road if you want to take it for a run.

It's an '06, cost me £5.6k with 1400 on the clock.

I wouldn`t call a viffer and Old gits bike personally , very capable milemuncher in my eyes but Rob has passed more than a nod in the direction of a bit of sit up and beg style riding with wider bars rather than the normal clip on style , this is what seems to narrow the quest down to a certain style more than anything else .

Yeah, I think maybe I just prefer the upright position. To be fair, my old man has a 1200GS and he never uses it and says I can take it out which I think I will for the day just to see how I get on with a boxer. Not to say I'll be buying one, as the KTM for me ticks the boxes in looks and ergonomics. That 990 is beautiful Lone Wolf, but I have heard a lot about the snatchy FI on them, plus that really is going further into the budget. The 950 my work mate has also has the twin Akra setup. To finish the bike off, I like the look of the screen the 990 has, plus some heated grips (first time I bought them on the Versys and I think theyre possibly the greatest purchase for the bike).

I just wonder how much difference running costs will be in owning a KTM.

[the_lone_wolf]

Originally Posted by robchester

I just wonder how much difference running costs will be in owning a KTM.

"If you have to ask you can't afford it sir..."

They ain't cheap... Service intervals are 4500 miles or annually, alternating between minor/major service, typical prices are £190/£290 excluding VAT for minor/major respectively

On the plus side home servicing is a doddle, I'm servicing the Adventure without hassle, it's obvious someone took time to design a bike that's easy to work on, the SM/SuperDuke and SMT all share the same engine.

[the_lone_wolf]

Originally Posted by robchester

That 990 is beautiful Lone Wolf, but I have heard a lot about the snatchy FI on them

The "snatchy" FI is a load of balls IMO, no worse than the low rev throttle response on the SV... Sounds to me like a load of people came off IL4s and expected the KTMs to be as smooth, mistaking typical V-twin snatchiness as a problem unique to KTM

A gentle throttle hand is all that's required...

Originally Posted by the_lone_wolf

On the plus side home servicing is a doddle, I'm servicing the Adventure without hassle, it's obvious someone took time to design a bike that's easy to work on, the SM/SuperDuke and SMT all share the same engine.

They probably had feedback along the lines of "I was in the middle of the Paris/Dakar rally in searing heat and couldn`t get to X part of the Engine to affect a small repair"

or

"I was in first place on an Enduro and couldn`t sort out X when the bike had a small problem that would have been easy to rectify if only you had ......... "

It`s nice when a company listens to it`s users/customers and you see the changes and suddenly understand why they have done what they have to make life easier for you . On the flipside you also get other companies who make things so hard and need a special tool with no reason for it just so that you have to get it serviced by their "Authorised" dealers .

Originally Posted by the_lone_wolf

The "snatchy" FI is a load of balls IMO, no worse than the low rev throttle response on the SV... Sounds to me like a load of people came off IL4s and expected the KTMs to be as smooth, mistaking typical V-twin snatchiness as a problem unique to KTM

A gentle throttle hand is all that's required...

Well, my workmate had both the 990 and 950 with a Street Triple in the middle, and preferred the 950 because of its ease of use at lower speeds. He said the throttle was off/on and nothing in between.

In terms of running costs, its not a case of "can't afford it" its a factor in whether one bike is worth the extra for the experience. I have plenty of other hobbies into which I can waste my money, I just try to get VFM in every area.

[rictus01]

Just as a comparison, I had a superduke out on test Monday, it's got the LC8 990 engine, and I can't say it was "snatchy" at all, sure you got the lumpy bottom end of a large V twin, but the injection was fine*.


Cheers Mark.

* it did have a couple of dips, but they corresponded to emissions and noise regs I'd guess, but nothing major.

V-twin for the win, it even rhymes Rob! Just spend your hard earned and get a big bike